AUBURN, Ala. (AP) - Auburn University senior Laney Payne searched the faces of three Beauregard High School students as they watched themselves appear, one by one, on screen.

Payne premiered her 17-minute documentary, “Halftime Heroes: Coaching Beyond the X’s and O’s,” at Pebble Hill Monday evening to a teary-eyed crowd that spilled into the hallway. The film follows three Beauregard High athletes and the father figures they have found in their coaches.

“I was watching the kids watch it,” said Payne, a psychology major minoring in community and civic engagement. “The whole time I’m making it, I’m remembering who I’m making it for.”

The film is a project for Payne’s community and civic engagement senior capstone course. Her younger brother, who she watched mature through relationships with football coaches, inspired the documentary.

“I was raised in a fatherless home with my mom and three sisters and a little brother,” the Georgia native said. “Immediately, I knew that this is what I wanted to do.”

Radio, television and film senior Charlie Harper filmed and edited more than eight hours of footage taken over 12 days during football season. Harper said the film began as a five-minute mini-documentary.

“After we went to one football game, I realized there was a real story here,” Harper said.

Beauregard senior defensive lineman Justin Greathouse grew up without a father, but formed a close bond with assistant coach Steven Drakeford, which was featured in the documentary.

“It’s awesome. I want to keep watching it over and over,” he said after seeing the film for the first time. “I’ve never experienced something in my life where I can smile this much.”

Greathouse hopes other people in similar situations will find encouragement in the documentary.

“They’ll know that they’re not alone,” he said. “There’s always someone there to help you.”